Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Terrace was founded by Alli Jarrett, a resident of the Heights since 2002. Alli’s love for the Heights stems from her upbringing in Kingstree, a small town in the low country of South Carolina, where she grew up in a family wholesale business that her grandparents started and operated for 52 years. We asked their chef, Antoine Ware, for a recipe he thinks best represents the fall season. He handed us his recipe for Mirliton Crab Cake.
Chef Antoine Ware shares his Mirliton Crab Cake recipe
FriendsEAT: Tell us a little bit about Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Terrace. What makes it special?
Chef Antoine Ware: Harold’s is a neighborhood restaurant located in the heart of the Heights in Houston, Texas. At Harold’s our team values the importance of knowing our farmers and knowing our guests. To me, it is extremely important to source all of my ingredients from local farms and develop a relationship with each farmer. As a chef, I believe that knowing who your farmers are and knowing where your food comes from is critical, so I strive to source the best ingredients from local farmers that I can develop relationships with. The farms in which I source my ingredients serve as my inspiration for feature dishes or new menu items, based on the food they have available.
Outdoor space at Harold’s Restaurant Bar and Terrace
FE: Why do you love this recipe for Fall?
Chef Antoine: One of my favorite ingredients to cook with is Mirliton, which is a type of squash used all throughout New Orleans, where I am from. I love blending it with Blue Crab to create a luscious, creamy crab cake.
Chef Antoine Ware’s Mirliton Crab Cake Recipe
How to make this Mirliton Crab Cake recipe from Harold’s
Mirliton Crab Cake Ingredients
1 Mirliton
1-pound blue crab meat
1 onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, small dice
2 celery ribs, small dice
1 1/3 cups bread crumbs
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
Salt/Pepper to taste
Mirliton Crab Cake Recipe Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (oven times may vary). Wash mirliton and cut into halves, lengthwise. Remove the seed and pulp from shells and set aside. Discard the seed.
2. Place onion, garlic, bell pepper, mirliton and celery in a food processor and pulse 3-4 times.
3. In a skillet on medium-low heat, add the oil followed by all the pulsed ingredients. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Fold crab meat, Parmesan and 1 cup of bread crumbs into the mixture.
5. Using a crab cake mold, spray the inside with pan spray and pack the mixture into the mold.
6. Sprinkle remaining bread crumbs on top with a small pat of butter.
7. Preheat a skillet on medium high heat with oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cake topside down to sear.
8. Place the skillet into the oven for about 4 minutes.
9. Next, remove the skillet from the oven and carefully flip the crab cake right side up, returning to the oven for an additional 4 minutes.
10. To serve, take a paring knife and insert around the edges to loosen.
11. Place the crab cake on a serving plate and gently remove the mold.
12. Garnish with mirliton salad and serve with your favorite hot sauce, tartar sauce or remoulade sauce. Enjoy!
Harold’s is where you can eat this delicious Mirliton Crab Cake recipe
Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Terrace is located at 350 W. 19th Street, Houston, Texas 77008
Nearby Landmarks: Heights General Store, Comerica Bank, Houston Heights Tower, and HITS Theatre
Phone Number: (713) 360-6204
Hours of Operation:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday ” Wednesday: 11:00 AM ” 09:00 PM
- Thursday ” Friday: 11:00 AM ” 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM ” 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM ” 08:00 PM